Waveguide structures and methods

Abstract

A waveguide structure has a base having a base height (h) above a substrate and a rectangular waveguide having a waveguide height (H) above the substrate and a waveguide width (W) between opposing sides of the waveguide.

1. A waveguide comprising:
 a substrate; and 
 a waveguide structure on said substrate, said waveguide structure comprising a base and a rectangular waveguide, 
 wherein said base has a base height (h) above said substrate, 
 wherein said rectangular waveguide has a waveguide height (H) above said substrate and a waveguide width (W) between opposing sides of said waveguide, 
 wherein said waveguide structure has the following features:
     H− 4≦( W− 3) 2 ;  (1) 
     H− 1≧( W− 4) 2 ;  (2) 
     H≦ 1.7* h+ 2.9; and  (3) 
     H≧ 0.87 *h+ 1.8.  H,   (4) 
 
 wherein * represents multiplication. 
 
     
     
       2. The waveguide according to  claim 1 , wherein said waveguide structure provides a transverse electric-transverse magnetic (TE-TM) wavelength shift within 0.2 nm. 
     
     
       3. The waveguide according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said waveguide height (H) is from about 2 um to about 7 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) is from about 2 um to about 7 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) is from about 1 um to about 3 um. 
 
     
     
       4. The waveguide according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said waveguide height (H) is from about 3 um to about 7 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) is from about 4 um to about 7 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) is from about 1.5 um to about 2.5 um. 
 
     
     
       5. The waveguide according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said waveguide height (H) is about 5 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) is about 6 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) is about 2 um. 
 
     
     
       6. The waveguide according to  claim 1 , wherein said waveguide structure comprises silicon comprising one of single crystal silicon and polycrystal silicon, wherein said silicon is one of doped and undoped, and wherein said substrate comprises an insulator comprising one of an oxide, a nitride, and a glass. 
     
     
       7. The waveguide according to  claim 1 , wherein said waveguide structure comprises a polarization insensitive waveguide. 
     
     
       8. A waveguide comprising:
 a substrate; and 
 a waveguide structure on said substrate, said waveguide structure comprising a base and a rectangular waveguide, 
 wherein said base has a base height (h) from about 1 um to about 3 um above said substrate, 
 wherein said rectangular waveguide has a waveguide height (H) from about 2 um to about 7 um above said substrate and a waveguide width (W) from about 2 um to about 7 um between opposing sides of said waveguide, 
 wherein said waveguide structure has the following features:
     H− 4≦( W− 3) 2 ;  (1) 
     H− 1≧( W− 4);  (2) 
     H≦ 1.7 *h+ 2.9; and  (3) 
     H≧ 0.87 *h+ 1.8.  (4) 
 
 
     
     
       9. The waveguide according to  claim 8 , wherein said waveguide structure has the following features:
     H− 4<( W− 3) 2 ;  (1) 
     H− 1>( W− 4) 2 ;  (2) 
     H< 1.7 *h+ 2.9; and  (3) 
     H> 0.87 *h+ 1.8.  (4) 
 
     
     
       10. The waveguide according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said waveguide height (H) is from about 3 um to about 7 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) is from about 4 um to about 7 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) is from about 1.5 um to about 2.5 um. 
 
     
     
       11. The waveguide according to  claim 8 , wherein:
 said waveguide height (H) is about 5 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) is about 6 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) is about 2 um. 
 
     
     
       12. The waveguide according to  claim 8 , wherein said waveguide structure provides a transverse electric-transverse magnetic (TE-TM) wavelength shift within 0.2 nm. 
     
     
       13. The waveguide according to  claim 8 , wherein said waveguide structure comprises silicon comprising one of single crystal silicon and polycrystal silicon, wherein said silicon is one of doped and undoped, and wherein said substrate comprises an insulator comprising one of an oxide, a nitride, and a glass. 
     
     
       14. The waveguide according to  claim 8 , wherein said waveguide structure comprises a polarization insensitive waveguide. 
     
     
       15. A method of forming a polarization insensitive waveguide, said method comprising:
 forming a substrate; and 
 forming a waveguide structure on said substrate, said forming of said waveguide structure comprising forming a base to a base height (h) above said substrate and forming a rectangular waveguide to a waveguide height (H) above said substrate and a waveguide width (W) between opposing sides of said waveguide, 
 wherein said forming of said waveguide structure forms the following features:
     H− 4≦( W− 3) 2 ;  (1) 
     H− 1≧( W− 4) 2 ;  (2) 
     H≦ 1.7 *h+ 2.9; and  (3) 
   H≧0.87 *h+ 1.8, and  (4) 
 
 wherein * represents multiplication. 
 
     
     
       16. The method in  claim 15 , wherein said forming of said waveguide forms the following features:
     H− 4<( W− 3) 2 ;  (1) 
     H− 1>( W− 4) 2 ;  (2) 
     H< 1.7 *h+ 2.9; and  (3) 
     H> 0.87 *h+ 1.8.  (4) 
 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said forming of said waveguide structure provides a transverse electric-transverse magnetic (TE-TM) wavelength shift within 0.2 nm. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said forming of said waveguide structure forms:
 said waveguide height (H) to be from about 2 um to about 7 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) to be from about 2 um to about 7 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) to be from about 1 um to about 3 um. 
 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said forming of said waveguide structure forms:
 said waveguide height (H) to be from about 3 um to about 7 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) to be from about 4 um to about 7 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) to be from about 1.5 um to about 2.5 um. 
 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said forming of said waveguide structure forms:
 said waveguide height (H) to be about 5 um above said substrate; 
 said waveguide width (W) to be about 6 um between opposing sides of said waveguide; and 
 said base height (h) to be about 2 um. 
 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 15 , wherein said waveguide structure comprises silicon comprising one of single crystal silicon and polycrystal silicon, wherein said silicon is one of doped and undoped, and wherein said substrate comprises an insulator comprising one of an oxide, a nitride, and a glass.